Rhipicephalus annulatus, the cattle tick, is a hard-bodied tick of the genus Rhipicephalus. It is also known as North American cattle tick, North American Texas fever tick, and Texas fever tick.[1]
The adult has a hexagonally shaped scutum. The male has adanal shields and accessory shields. The anal groove is not distinguishable or absent entirely in the female, and minute in the male.[3]
It shows a one-host lifecycle, where all larva, nymphs and adults live in one host. After eggs hatch, larva crawl up vegetation and may be blown away by wind. After they stick on to a host, larvae are found on softer parts of the host's body. They become nymphs and then adults after successive molts on the body of the host. After attaining sexual maturity and copulating, the female detaches from the host and lays eggs on vegetation. The female dies after ovipositing.[3]
Control
Babesiasis is one of the major cattle devastating diseases throughout the world. It reduce the meat production, and dairy products as well. Quarantine is the major method of controlling ticks. Sanitation and frequent check for ticks also taken place. Preparations of Nigella sativa are a good method to control ticks.[6]
^ abSpickler, Anna Rovid (June 2022). "Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus"(PDF). Institute for International Corporation In Animal Biologics. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via The Center for Food Security & Public Health, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
^Mullen, Gary Richard; Durden, Lance A. (2019). Medical and veterinary entomology (3rd ed.). London: Academic press, an imprint of Elsevier. pp. 2–3. ISBN978-0-12-814043-7.
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